[Chaturamnaya] Adi Sankara's Bhaja Govindam - 17

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Continued from previous post)
 
 
https://svbf.org/newsletters/year-2015/bhaja-govindam-6/
 
Bhaja Govindam – 6
Part VI: The Practical Vedanta of Bhaja Govindam
V. Ramaswami
 
We now move from the philosophical aspects to the specific actionable advice of Bhaja Govindam. This will be done in two parts after a quick review of the goals which form the
worthy reasons to take the advice seriously.
 
Recall that the bulk of our discussion thus far has revolved around the evanescent nature of the world and its attractions in the form of wealth, relationships, etc., as also
on the true merits obtained through disassociation (निस्सङ्ग: nissaṅgaḥ) and dispassion ( वैराग्यः vairāgyaḥ). A goal of Vedanta is to help one extricate oneself from the common traps of
the mundane, not necessarily by becoming a total renunciate but even as one lives in the midst of all the trappings of the world. Thus, Vedanta is not some abstract theoretical
exercise. Adi Sankara described it as “प्राणिनां साक्षात् अभ्युदयनि:श्रेयस हेतुः”prāṇināṃ sākṣāt abhyudayaniḥśreyasa hetuḥ”, i.e., as providing welfare in a worldly sense (अभ्युदय abhyudaya)
and also spiritual emancipation (नि:श्रेयस: nihshreyasa). In this general spirit of Vedanta, Bhaja Govindam also offers some practical valuable steps for one’s welfare and spiritual ascension.
 
Let us begin by reviewing what we had previously discussed. In verses 2, 11 and 29 discussed in Part II of this series, we were advised not to be enamored by money and wealth.
Thus, in Verse 2, we were advised to remain happy with whatever is legitimately obtained by our karma (यल्लभसे निजकर्मोपात्तं वित्तं तेन विनोदय चित्तम्yallabhase nijakarmopāttaṃ vittaṃ tena vinodaya cittam),
and in Verse 29 to view all wealth as meaningless (अर्थमनर्थं भावय नित्यम्arthamanarthaṃ bhāvaya nityam). Reminding the transitory nature of all our possessions, Sri Sankara in Verse 11 admonished
against pride in one’s wealth, youthfulness, or influence (मा कुरु धनजनयौवनगर्वम् mā kuru dhanajanayauvanagarvam), for death may momentarily snatch these away (हरति निमेषात्काल: सर्वम् 
harati nimeṣātkālaḥ sarvam). In short, material possessions, however essential, should not be permitted to possess us.
 
The need to overcome improper desires was stressed in several verses (see Part III), and we were reminded particularly that the objects of our carnal desires are nothing but gory
flesh and blood (Verse 3: एतन्मांसवसादिविकारम्etad māṃsavasādivikāram). Indeed, Adi Sankara argued that age and time attenuate one’s desires towards all objects. Similarly, the object of
our mind and senses vary from simple playthings in childhood to autobiographical memories and worries in late life. Even our desires are as transitory as our very lives resembling
the tenuous water drop on a lotus leaf (Verse 4: नलिनीदलगतजलमतितरलंतद्वज्जीवितमतिशयचपलम्, nalinīdalagata jalamatitaralaṃ tadvad jīvitam atiśayacapalam). Thus, we are advised to control
our desires and cravings appropriately and not be enslaved by them.
 
If wealth and possessions are transitory, we were reminded that so too are our relationships with others. In Verse 8, a question is posed about the true identity of one’s wife and son
(का ते कान्ता कस्ते पुत्र: kā te kāntā kaste putraḥ). Adi Sankara has reminded us that not knowing who we are and whence we came from (कस्य त्वम् kasya tvam, Whose are you?कुत: आयात: kutaḥ āyātaḥ
Whence have you come?), we must treat all our relationships as ephemeral only. We must overcome indiscriminate attachment towards others even as we discharge our duties and extend our
support towards people.
 
In part IV, the pathetic plight of the man who does not understand this was delineated eloquently in many verses. They were further contrasted in verses discussed in Part V against that of
those who have broken the fetters of worldly allures. The clarion call of Bhaja Govindam is to realize that the world is full of a variety of sorrows (Verse 4: विद्धि व्याध्यभिमानग्रस्तं लोकं शोकहतं च समस्तम् 
viddhi vyādhyabhimānagrastaṃ lokaṃ śokahataṃ ca samastam) that should be treated as an illusion, and to attempt to enter the realm of the eternal (Verse 11: मायामयमिदमखिलं हित्वा ब्रह्मपद्ं त्वं प्रविश विदित्वा 
māyāmayamidamakhilaṃ hitvā brahmapadṃ tvaṃ praviśa viditvā).
 
However, the higher level goals mentioned above are not at all easy. Many of us ordinary mortals need constant reinforcement and various austerities to achieve them. And, that forms the
subject of the remaining verses from Bhaja Govindam we shall discuss from now on. It is in the identification of the simple austerities that can evolve us spiritually that Bhaja Govindam
becomes one of great practical use. Bearing this in mind, we begin with a verse that, among others, also glorifies Bhagavad Gītā, the ultimate manual of practical Vedanta.
 
Verse 20
भगवद्गीता किञ्चिदधीता गङ्गाजललवकणिका पीता ।
सकृदपि येन मुरारि समर्चा क्रियते तस्य यमेन न चर्चा ।।
bhagavad gītā kiñcidadhītā gaṅgā jalalava kaṇikāpītā |
sakṛdapi yena murāri samarcā kriyate tasya yamena na carcā ||
 
By whom (येन yena) Bhagavad Gītā is studied even a little ( भगवद्गीताकिञ्चिदधीता bhagavad gītā kiñcidadhītā), Ganges water has been drunk even by a drop (गङ्गाजललवकणिका पीता gaṅgājalalava kaṇikāpītā),
and Krishna, the killer of the demon Mura, is worshipped at least once (सकृदपि मुरारि समर्चा क्रियते sakṛdapimurāri samarcā kriyate), for him, there is no quarrel with Yama, the lord of death
(तस्य यमेन न च चर्चा tasya yamena na carcā [bhavati]).
 
 
(Continued in next post)
 

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